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APRIL 21, 1928
11
The Music Trade Review
Lechner & Schoenberger
in Remodeled Warerooms
Pittsburgh Firm's First Advertising of Complete American Piano
Co. Line Marks Opening of Elaborately Remodeled Store
— Fine Background Provided for Display
grand final in Ann Arbor. It is suggested, too,
that the several town champions be invited to
compete at the State convention in August at
the Rook-Cadillac Hotel.
Much of the credit for the success of the
present contest is due to Thomas Roston, the
contest director, who has aroused much enthusi-
asm. Frank J. Rayley, originator of the con-
test, is supervisor, and George WV Rourke is
active as chairman of the Fiilance' Committee.
Walter Jenkins and A. H. Howes also are de-
voting considerable time to the weekly meetings
and other duties.
Maurice Ravel Pays
ITTSRURGH, PA., April 16.—The Lechner & Schoenberger Co., one of the old-established
Visit to Aeolian Hall
piano firms of this city, to-day had the formal opening of their newly remodeled place of
business, at 631 Liberty avenue. The store was visited by hundreds of persons in view
of the special announcement made in whole-page advertisement in the Sunday newspapers. The Noted French Composer and Pianist Expresses
Enthusiasm Over the Possibilities of the New
announcement was made to the effect that "now, for the first time, the Mason & Hamlin, the
AudioGraphic Rolls Recently Introduced
Knabe and Chickering together with the Ampico are to be found in one establishment."
In preparation for the display and sale of the
During his recent appearance in America
three pianos named above the entire five-story model with case finished in ivory and decorated
building of the firm was renovated and enlarged with flowers in natural colors. The general Maurice Ravel, the noted French composer, was
to meet the demand for accommodating the pub- effect was that of daintiness and airiness with- a frequent visitor to Aeolian Hall in New York.
lic. In addition to the Mason & Hamlin, Knabe out any tendency towards flamboyancy. The For some years Mr. Ravel has recorded his
exclusively for the Duo-Art, and one of
and Chickering the firm also are representatives piano has been exhibited on numerous occasions
for the Haines Rros., J. & C. Fischer, the Mar-
shall & Wendell and the Brewster pianos.
The first floor is devoted to the display and
sale of pianos and the Victor and Edison pho-
nographs. The room has been entirely re-
modeled and completely changed, presenting a
very attractive appearance. The Ampico rooms
are located on the third floor, where ample
facilities are furnished for patrons to listen to
A New
the Ampico and its wonderful music.
On the fifth floor are located the Knabe,
Weaver
Chickering and Mason & Hamlin rooms, where
Style in
the customer can, at his or her leisure, inspect
the instruments. Each piano is installed in a
Color
handsomely decorated room with sound-proof
partitions and doors. The building is twenty
feet in width and extends back 110 feet to a
street. The offices of the firm are located in
the rear of the second floor. The building is
well illuminated, and is in keeping with the
modern demand for ease and elegance in the
sale and display of pianos. An elevator service
for patrons is maintained from the basement
and has never failed to create considerable in- his first calls upon arriving in New York was to
to the top floor.
The officers of the firm are President, Jacob terest, particularly in York and vicinity, where pay his respects to officials of the Aeolian Co.,
Schoenberger; vice-president, Homer Schoen- the populace is particularly proud of the with whom he had been so long associated in
berger; treasurer, Arthur Schoenberger, and Weaver Co. and its products. The accompany- Europe. The Duo-Art is, of course, thoroughly
Arthur O. Lechner, secretary. The office of ing illustration gives an excellent idea of the familiar to him, since he began making Duo-
Art records exclusively in 1920 at the Duo-Art
the president is located on the main floor, while attractive appearance of the instrument.
Laboratories in London. Since that time he
Mr. Lechner has his office on the second floor:
has recorded many of his finest works for the
Mr. Schoenberger, the head of the firm,
Duo-Art and these records have wide circula-
stated that he was pleased beyond expression Third Detroit Contest
in Europe among Duo-Art owners and
at the fact that that firm now is able to display
Indicates Great Progress tion
students. Mr. Ravel's first records in America,
and sell the Mason & Hamlin, the Knabe and
the Chickering pianos (all under one roof). He Interest Shown by Communities Outside the made exclusively for the Duo-Art, include the
stated that ample means would be provided for
City Indicates Possibilities of a State-wide following of his own compositions: "La Vallee
des Cloches," "Rigadon" and the "Menuet An-
offering to the music-loving public at stated in-
Contest in the Near Future
tique." AudioGraphic music is another project
tervals recitals in which the three instruments
that has evoked Ravel's enthusiasm. He is a
would play prominent parts. He also stated
DETROIT, MICH., April 16.—The Third Annual
that the outlook for business was bright, and Piano-Playing Contest in this city and environs member of the French committee on this new
Aeolian development and is actively engaged in
that the indications were that grands and re
is going over with a bang, and at last reports
making the annotations for the AudioGraphic
producing pianos would be the best sellers.
more than 500 schools were represented by en-
rolls of his own works.
trants as compared to 420 schools last year and
"The bringing into existence of such a means
schools the year before. Significant, too,
of
popularization as AudioGraphic music," said
Weaver Piano Go. Produces 285
is the fact that a number of cities and towns
Mr. Ravel, "is an enterprise of the highest in-
outside
Detroit
within
a
radius
of
fifty
or
sixty
Piano Gase in Colors
miles have requested permission to participate terest. Not only do I lend my approval, but I
and
have been included so that they may send am happy to lend also my personal collabora-
Newest Instrument Is Finished in Ivory With
tion."
Floral Decorations in Natural Color Produc- local winners to the semi-finals in this city.
The
contest
this
year
is
really
being
run
by
ing Most Attractive Effect
the schools, each contest being held in the Base Piano Go. Files
YORK, PA., April 18.—The modern trend of color school auditorium, advertised and conducted by .
Petition in Bankruptcy
in home decorations has made its influence the head of the school. In this sense it has
felt in the designing and finishing of special reached the point of being an official affair,
PHILADELPHIA, PA., April 16.—Following the
piano cases, with various manufacturers vying and there is every indication that within another
in the production of instruments that will har- year or so the contest will assume state-wide voluntary bankruptcy proceedings which were
monize with modern home interiors. A par- proportions. In fact, a step to this end has instituted by the owner of the Rase Piano Co.,
ticularly interesting example of the application been taken by H. C. Pulfrey, manager of the 1115 West Girard avenue,*the store of that con-
of color to the treatment of the piano case was University Music House, Ann Arbor, who cern has been closed. The bankruptcy petition
offered recently by the Weaver Piano Co. who sponsored a contest in that city and has chal- was filed early last week when the surviving
completed and displayed a most attractive lenged the Detroit winner to compete in the owner, Jacob Rosenfeld, applied to the courts.
P
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